


Strange Attraction

by Kebuyo



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Awkwardness, Ed and Oswald meet, Episode: s01e15 The Scarecrow, First Impressions, Identity Issues, Insecurity, Lurkward, M/M, Missing Scene, Nygmobblepot, POV Edward Nygma, POV First Person, Riddlebird Week, Riddlebird Week 2018, Season/Series 01, Summer of Gotham
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 12:54:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14895000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kebuyo/pseuds/Kebuyo
Summary: Ed's first impression of Oswald."Why are you so interested?He'skilledpeople.“We don't know that for sure.”Of course we do. But maybe that's what you like.“It's not even as if I'd tried to be friends with him...”You'd love that, though, wouldn't you? Being friends with the Penguin.I remain silent and just stare back at him.Oh, yes, you would. But it's not like he'd befriend someone like you, anyway. Weird, pathetic loser.“Be quiet.” "





	Strange Attraction

**Author's Note:**

> For Riddlebird Week Day 1: _First Impression_ and Summer of Gotham Week 2: _Season 1_
> 
> It's the scene where Ed and Oz first meet in 1x15 from Ed's POV.

I'm on my way back to the Forensic's Lab, when I notice someone who is not usually here. The Penguin, Oswald Cobblepot, comes hobbling up to Detective Gordon's workplace. I walk up a nearby staircase to watch him inconspicuously. He found the desk unoccupied and now looks around with an unnerved expression, probably looking for Gordon.

 

_I had first seen him the day he walked into the precinct. The MCU detectives Montoya and Allen were there. They had been arguing with Captain Essen in her office, then they came up to Detective Gordon. That's when I first heard the name. Oswald Cobblepot. They accused Gordon of his murder and Bullock of complicity. I didn't put it past Bullock to be involved, but I couldn't believe Detective Gordon would kill someone. For the mafia, even._

 

His gaze meets mine and I hurriedly avert my eyes. There is nothing about me that would be suspicious to him, just a GCPD employee standing inside the GCPD, it should seem natural enough. Still, the short eye-contact made my heart beat slightly faster. The Penguin's eyes are so sharp and clear, demanding respect. No wonder he is an up and coming figure in Gotham's organized crime.

 

_There was a huge commotion. The MCU detectives were handcuffing both Gordon and Bullock, while Essen tried to use her authority to stop them. Simultaneously Gordon tried to tell his partner something. He hadn't killed Cobblepot, he exclaimed in this strangely genuine way, but Bullock was oblivious to the message. He, too, heatedly declared their innocence, but in a way that made it clear he really believed the accusations were true. What an imbecile. I was standing between the pandemonium at the detectives' desks and the entrance door, so I noticed him out of the corner of my eye when he entered._

 

The Penguin makes his way down the stairs to the main hall and I follow on the opposite side of the room, paralleling his movements. I glance at him every now and then to not lose track of him, but he probably doesn't notice, does he? He comes to a halt near the reception desk; I think he noticed me now. Seems like a good opportunity to facilitate a confabulation. I slowly walk past him behind his back and situate myself next to him.

 

_When he started to speak, the rest of the room turned silent. All the heads turned towards him. His voice was loud and clear. All eyes were on him and he seemed to enjoy the attention. I felt a strange mixture of empathy and envy. The man standing at the entrance was short, well-dressed in an old-fashioned way and had spikily primped, black hair. His presence lay heavily in the air._ _“_ _I am Oswald Cobblepot._ _”_ _, he proclaimed with a theatrical bow and a smug smile. I was in awe._

 

“Can I help you?”, the Penguin asks, facing me. _It worked, he's talking to me!_

“I don't think so. Can you?”, I say, trying to answer honestly, and turn toward him. He smiles, but I'm not sure if he means it.

“What do you want?”, he says.

“What I want, the poor have, the rich need and if you eat it, you die.” A riddle is always a good conversation starter. He looks bemused.

“Is this... Are you asking me a riddle?”

“Do you like riddles?” There we have our conversation.

“No.”

“So do you give up?”, I ask impishly. That should spur his ambition. But he huffs and I can tell he won't try to solve it.

“Friend, look-”, he begins.

“Nothing! The answer is nothing.”, I explain hastily. “The poor have it, the rich need it and if you eat it-” But he interrupts me with a raised hand. He really is a formidable figure.

“Who are you?” _He is asking for my name! We are actually having a conversation!_ He does seem curious, too. There is almost a hint of insecurity in his expression. Did I manage to impress him?

“Edward. Nygma.”, I say excitedly. “I know who _you_ are.”, I add to show my interest. For a moment he smiles, but then he looks cold and august again.

“Then you know that you're standing too close.” _Oh dear._ Is that what irritated him? I look down to our feet to correct my mistake and take a step back. He turns away. Speaking of the Penguin's feet...

“Did you know that male emperor penguins keep their eggs warm by balancing them on their feet?”, I say smiling. A little bit of trivia should warm our little talk up again. “Isn't that neat?” But he faces me with a grim expression. _Oh my, did I do something wrong again?_ No, there's a smile on his face, too, as he takes one step closer. Maybe he _did_ like my penguin fact?

“Nice to meet you, Sir.”, he says and the cold look returns to his face. “Keep moving.” That was clear. _Okay, Ed, keep your cool. Don't seem crestfallen._

“Will do.”, I say with a small smile and push along. As I walk past him, I can feel his gaze on me.

 

_Except for that first time he came here to announce being alive, I have only seen him once before, when he had been arrested and put into one of the cells. He had still worked for mob boss Don Maroni. I had already wanted to walk up to him and start a conversation back then, but the occasion didn't arise._ **Didn't arise? You mean you didn't have the guts.** _It isn't even allowed to talk to those in custody. I could have gotten into trouble._ **Not allowed? As if you usually care for what's allowed or not, you get yourself into trouble all the time. And it's not like people here actually pay you enough attention that they'd noticed if you** _**had** _ **talked to him.**

 

I go to the restroom to order my thoughts. The cold water runs over my hands and I take a deep breath and look up at the mirror.

_**Now this didn't work too well, did it?**_ I wince as I see _him_ looking back at me. He grins smugly. _**You finally got the**_ _ **courage**_ _ **to talk to your idol and now that. Must be so disappointing.**_ “He's not my _idol_! And it wasn't _that_ bad...”, I say. _**Not that bad? Dude, you screwed up.**_ “I know he looked after me when I left, I think he was intrigued.” _**Intrigued? He saw you for the freak you are.**_ “Shut up.” _**Why would someone like him be interested in someone boring like you?**_ “He seems very smart. He'd probably like to talk to someone on _his_ intellectual level, being surrounded by mafia goons all the time.”, I argue.

_**And you?**_ “What do you mean?” _**Why are you so interested?**_ _ **He's**_ **killed** _ **people.**_ “We don't know that for sure.” _**Of course we do. But maybe that's what you like.**_ “It's not even as if I'd tried to be friends with him...” _**You'd love that, though, wouldn't you? Being friends with the Penguin.**_ I remain silent and just stare back at him. _**Oh, yes, you would. But it's not like he'd befriend someone like you, anyway. Weird, pathetic loser.**_ “Be quiet.” _**What would**_ **you** _ **have to offer? Don't even start about intellectual conversation, you'd just annoy him with penguin trivia again.**_ “No...”

_**Maybe you should have let** _ **me** _**talk to him, I bet we'd get along well.** _ He smirks. “You would _not_ . You're...” _**Not nice? But he doesn't** _ **want** _**nice. I'm confident, daring, I demand respect. I'm all you find attractive about him.** _ “I don't...”, I mutter weakly. _**But you wouldn't like that, would you? If** _ **I** _**talked to him. If he turned out to be interested in me, not you. Or are you afraid of all the sinister stuff we could do together? Afraid that you might even enjoy what we'd be doing?** _ He grins darkly.

“I wouldn't. Don't talk like that.” _**It's his darkness that attracts you. You know what he does to people, don't pretend otherwise. You know what he's capable of and it turns you on, am I right?** _ “That's not true.” _**You imagine what he does to people and you love it.** _ “Shut up!” _**Face it. As long as you delute yourself and keep up that ʻgood, nice guyʼ shtick, he'll never be interested in you.** _ “It's not a shtick. I'm not like you.” _**Oh, yeah? Why are you so intrigued by him then? Because he** _ **is** _**like me.** _

I stare back at his smug grin, trying to think of a response, when I hear footsteps approaching outside. I glance at the door and hastily turn back to the sink when someone enters. As the person walks past me, I shut the faucet and dry my hands, trying to appear normal and inconspicuous. Before I leave the restroom, I dare a glance in the mirror and breathe deeply in relief. At least _he_ is gone... For now, that is.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I had the thought that their scene together in season one and that Ed obviously showed a strong interest of some sort toward Oswald, despite him being a known criminal and Ed still seeing himself as a ʻgood guyʼ remained kind of unexplained. Also as a Nygmobblepot shipper I had to write some homoerotic ambiguity into it ofc.


End file.
